Best Kept Secret
by Fashion Drunk
Summary: The trio and their seventh year. Will they survive? Will Draco come back?
1. Chapter 1 If All Else Fails

Best Kept Secret - Chapter 1 - If All Else Fails

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original Harry Potter characters.

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During the summer before seventh year, things had changed. Harry had hardened and had more of a determination to beat Voldemort than before. Hermione was weakened and had slowly slipped into an on going depression and war with her own conscience. Ron had become quiet and reserved, unlike the old Ronald Weasley. The death of Albus Dumbledore had weakened the hope of many in the wizarding community of winning this war of good vs. evil. 

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Hermione was laying in bed, trying to organize her thoughts, something that couldn't be done lately. 

_'How could someone be so cold? I always knew there was something funny about 'Professor' Snape. But how could he betray one of his mentors, someone who gave him and home and stuck up for him in the past? Was it all an act to get back at James Potter? To crush Harry, to weaken him? I **should** be trying to get some sleep. I leave for The Burrow tomorrow.'_

But as Hermione tried to fall asleep, those troubling thoughts kept on haunting her thoughts, causing her to get two hours of sleep that night.

------------

As Hermione woke the next morning, she remembered the troubling thoughts from yesterday and had decided it would best just to forget them. 

"Hermione, dear, are you ready to for breakfast? We have to leave in an hour, I hope you're packed," Hermione's mother had shouted.  
"Yes Mother, I'll be down in a minute."

Hermione rushed down the stairs to find toast in the toaster and some orange juice set at the table.

_'What is she trying to do? Does she think that everything's okay? Ergh. Hermione, stop it. She's just trying to make things seem normal again.'_

Hermione poured herself some orange juice and ate two pieces of toast, then she ran back upstairs grabbed her things and put them in the trunk of the car.

_'Hopefully, The Burrow will cheer me up before school starts,' _Hermione nervously thought as she waited for her mom to come to the car and drive her to the train station.

**Thanks for reading, read &review please, please, please!  
I like constructive criticism!  
Also, if anyone has any suggestions for the plot, I have a few, but I also want a few more ideas.  
Thanks - Megan Fashion Drunk**


	2. Chapter 2 You'll die trying

Best Kept Secret - Chapter 2 - You'll die trying to live this down, you might as well forget

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original Harry Potter characters.

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As Hermione and her mother drove along the freeway, heading towards the train station exit, the silence was awkward and the tension could've been cut with a knife. Hermione and her mother used to be so close, but after her father had left them at the beginning of the summer, things had become distant. Hermione's whole world was a complete opposite of what it used to be. Anne, Hermione's mother, had always tried to talk to Hermione since her father had left, and after Dumbledore's death, but all Hermione could say was _'Mum, you just don't understand.' _All Hermione could think was that she was alone in this world, besides Ron and Harry, who could only possibly comprehend, but wouldn't understand this loss and what effect it had on her.

"Hermione, dear, we're almost there. Make sure you have everything put together, okay?" Anne gave her a concerned look.  
"Yes mother," was all Hermione had as a response.  
Hermione silently put her iPod, book, parchment, and quill in her backpack.  
_'Does she think I don't know what to do? Argh, I can't wait to get to The Burrow, so much of the stress will be gone. And I'll get to see Ron and Harry, I have so much I need to tell them.'_

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The car turned onto the exit and it had started to pour.  
"Just what we need," Anne said sarcastically.  
"At least you don't have to worry about the garden dying for another week Mum," Hermione said.  
Anne smiled, _'Maybe the old Hermione, my bright, intelligent girl is coming back. I can only hope.'  
_Anne slowly found a parking spot and parked the car. They grabbed all of Hermione's luggage and headed for the building. The air was cool and calm, the rain felt nice especially since the tension was gone between the two of them for the moment.  
Once they headed inside they headed to Platform 5, and Hermione gave Anne a huge hug and whispered in her ear, "Mum, I'm sorry about they way I've been acting. Things are just really hard right now. I love you."  
Anne tried to hold back tears as she squeezed her daughter and she quietly said, "It's okay, Hermione, I do understand."  
Hermione silently boarded the train, only to find that her train ride was only around two hours and she had kept herself busy with trying to organize thoughts, emotions, anything she could try to digest not literally.

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The train had come to a halt at exactly 11:37 AM and Hermione gathered her luggage and walked off the train with doubts. Hermione looked around the crowded platform and found what she had expected. Two lean, tall teenage boys, one with shaggy bright red hair and the other with shaggy jet-black hair, two pairs of green eyes, clouded with sadness. They seemed to have momentary happiness in them when they saw Hermione, which made her smile. She ran to them and gave them each a big bear hug. This is the kind of thing she needed to keep her happy. The constant of these two boys made her forget all the pain she had endured during the summer.  
"Wow, you two have grown this summer haven't you? I can't even touch the tops of your heads to ruffle your hair, and it looks like you two haven't eaten anything since June!"  
"'Mione, stop it; you're just as bad as Mum was with Harry! Geeze!"  
"Fine, but you're ruining my moment!" Hermione moaned.  
The three of them walked out to the car, since Harry had gotten his license over the summer, to keep himself busy, they had drove. They started the car and slowly got out of the parking lot into London's heavy traffic. About in another month, they would be at the same train station, leaving for Hogwart's for the last time. Harry had decided to go back to Hogwart's only because Minerva McGonagall had been pronounced Head Master after Albus Dumbledore's death. No one had learned who the new Gryffindor head of house was, even after Hermione had written to McGonagall, she wouldn't say who it was. It was to be kept a secret until the new term.  
"So why didn't Ginny come with you guys to come pick me up?" Hermione asked.  
"She was still sleeping. We left really early this morning because we had some things to pick up at Diagon Alley, we didn't feel like waking her. She would've been bloody mad."  
"Oh." 

Harry turned on the CD player and put in a random CD, and turned it up. Hermione had recognized the song and started singing along.

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_'Drink down that gin and kerosene,  
And come spit on bridges with me.  
Just to keep us warm,  
And light a match and leave me be.  
I keep my jealousy close,  
It's all mine.  
And if you say this makes you happy,  
Then I'm not the only one lying. _

Keep quiet,  
Nothing comes as easy as you.  
Can I lay in your bed all day?  
**I'll be your best kept secret,  
And your biggest mistake.**  
The hand behind this pen relieves the failure everyday.**  
**  
Keep quiet,  
Nothing comes as easy as you.  
Can I lay in your bed all day?  
**I'll be your best kept secret,  
And your biggest mistake.**  
The hand behind this pen relieves the failure everyday.

_I keep my jealousy close,  
It's all mine.  
And if you say this makes you happy,  
Then I'm not the only one lying.  
Drink down that gin and kerosene,  
And come spit on bridges with me.  
Just to keep us warm,  
And light a match and leave me be. _

Keep quiet,  
Nothing comes as easy as you.  
Can I lay in your bed all day?  
**I'll be your best kept secret,  
And your biggest mistake.**  
The hand behind this pen relieves the failure everyday.

_Keep quiet,  
Nothing comes as easy as you.  
Can I lay in your bed all day?  
**I'll be your best kept secret,  
And your biggest mistake.  
**The hand behind this pen relieves the failure everyday._

So wear me like a locket around your throat,  
_I'll weigh you down, I'll watch you choke.  
You look so good in blue, you look so good in blue. _

_So wear me like a locket around your throat,  
__I'll weigh you down, I'll watch you choke.  
You look so good in blue, you look so good in blue. _

_So wear me like a locket around your throat,  
__I'll weigh you down, I'll watch you choke.  
You look so good in blue, you look so good in blue. _

_Keep quiet,  
Nothing comes as easy as you.  
Can I lay in your bed all day?  
__  
__Keep quiet,  
Nothing comes as easy as you.  
Can I lay in your bed all day?  
**I'll be your best kept secret,  
And your biggest mistake.  
**The hand behind this pen relieves the failure everyday. _

Keep quiet,  
Nothing comes as easy as you.  
Can I lay in your bed all day?  
**I'll be your best kept secret,  
And your biggest mistake.  
**The hand behind this pen relieves the failure everyday.'

-------------

Once the song was over, the tension eased and they were almost to The Burrow.  
_'Just what I needed,' _Hermione thought, _'just what I needed.'_

**Credit to Fall Out Boy for the song - Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner.  
That was longer than the first chapter, that for sure.  
I made sure I made it longer because the first chapter was really short.  
Sorry about that.  
Read &Review!  
I'll give you cookies :  
-Megan Fashion Drunk**


	3. Chapter 3 The Best Part Of Believe is

Best Kept Secret - Chapter 3 - The Best Part Of Believe is the Lie

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original Harry Potter characters.

As the trio arrived to The Burrow, Mrs. Weasley awaited them with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. The smell of freshly baked cookies lured them all in.

"Hermione! Dearest, how was your trip?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed.

"Tiring, as expected, but I read some of Hogwarts: A History along the way, so it wasn't too boring."

"Ah, well I have some freshly baked cookies for you and the boys if you would want. Ginny is waiting upstairs in her room."

"Thank you." Hermione quickly went upstairs to find Ginny laying on the floor reading _Vogue_.

"Well, well, well. Aiming to be a supermodel are we? That's pretty high fashion, Miss Weasley."

"HERMIONE!" Ginny ran and hugged her best friend with a heart wrenching hug. "Actually, I was looking at some possible suggestions for my wardrobe this year, since I have a summer job, I will be able to afford to buy clothes I really **like**."

"Hmm... well, I need to go and get some new clothes too. We should talk to your mom about going into London, just us two, this weekend. I have a mate up there and we could stay at her flat."

"At dinner we should suggest it. Anyways, how's your summer been?"

"Not especially interesting. I worked for some extra money and I saved it up. You heard about what happened at the beginning of the summer. I guess I'm trying to keep busy so I don't think too much."

"Yeah, that makes sense. You know I'm here right?"

"Of course Ginny Weasley. I'm going to go see if those boys ate all those cookies yet, and I need to talk to your brother anyways."

Hermione walked downstairs slowly, observing the walls, noticing every detail. She was taking the time to learn to appreciate this, knowing she'd only have this comfort for another three weeks or so. She walked into the living room to find Mrs. Weasley knitting a Gryffindor scarf.

"Hermione, dear. Have you heard they found Draco Malfoy? He's staying at the Order! They say he's terribly shaken and quite reserved now. I guess he's changed."

"Wow, are you sure you're talking about **the** right Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes, dear. You may want to go into the kitchen before all the boys eat all the cookies."

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

Hermione walked into the kitchen to find only two cookies left and a glass of milk.

"We thought we'd leave you two, just incase you were a little hungrier than we thought."

"Why thank you for the thought Ron," Hermione said, "can I talk with you outside for a bit?"

"Sure," Ron shrugged.

"Harry, Ginny is waiting upstairs for you."

"Thanks 'Mione."

Ron and Hermione walked outside into the yard and looked at the pitiful garden, which had been neglected since the recent happenings of last spring. They just stood there for a couple of minutes, the silence wasn't awkward, it was nice and peaceful.

"So, uhm.. I missed you... a lot.. and I don't know... I'm trying to put words together," Hermione said quietly.

"I have all the time in the world, I can wait."

"Okay, well, this summer, a lot of things happened. I just want to know **what** we are, I don't want to loose you. You're my best friend, but what are we?"

"We're best friends of course, what else would we be?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Hermione said with bitterness in voice, "never mind... I... just... never mind."

Hermione walked back inside and up to Ginny's room while Ron was checking out the food. She knocked on the door and was let in. She burst into tears.

"'Mione, what's wrong?"

"Your brother, he's so fucking STUPID and CLUELESS. I want to fucking shake him and tell him that sometimes."

Ginny and Harry gave Hermione the biggest hugs they could. They just sat there for 20 minutes, letting her tears dry and comforting her before supper.

"KIDS, SUPPER!" Mrs. Weasley yelled.

The three of them went downstairs to be met by the twins and Mr. Weasley. Dinner had been quite enjoyable (besides the Ron & Hermione situation) and traditional, the Weasley way. After supper, all the kids did the dishes while Mrs. and Mr. Weasley sat in the living room having a quiet discussion about Hermione and Ginny's going to London. When the parents came back in the room, they shared their news.

"Alright, girls, we have decided that we can trust you to be **safe** and **smart** in the city, so we are allowing for you to go with no chaperones. But, we would like the address and phone number of the girl you are staying with so incase we need to contact you, we can."

"Alright," Hermione said, "I can go get that now actually. I have it upstairs in my suitcase."

Once the London trip was settled, Ginny and Hermione decided they were going to go to bed, they were exhausted, emotionally and physically from this day and decided they had better start packing for their trip, which was tomorrow. They fell asleep about two hours later, Ginny sleeping soundly while Hermione was restless, and only got 3 hours of sleep.

ALRIGHT;  
sorry that took forever to do.!  
i totally forgot about this.  
but read & review?  
cookies for all :  
lovelovelove  
fashion drunk - megan.


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